Washing machine



July 23, 1946.

'H. c. A. MEYER WASHING MACHINE Filed May 9, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Hemy 6'. A. Meyer ATTORNEYS July 23, 1946. H. c. A. MEY ER 2,404,450

WASHING MACHINE Filed May 9, 1942 4 Sheets-She'et 2 INVENTOR A jenlyk'hfiMe er July 23, 1946. H. c:'. A. MEYER 2,404,450

' WASHING MACHINE Filed May 9, 1942 v 4 Sheets-Sheet s H IN IXTQJRH I 6777' e 67' 7 .A'ITORN July 23, 1946. c, MEYER 2,404,450

WASHING MACHINE Filed May 9, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 8 2? 57 8O v If H llNVENIZR I l; e y .Meye/ Patented July 23, 1946 4 -l JNlTEl s'rA'rEs PATENT OFFICE WASHING MACHINE I Henry C. A. Meyer, Syracuse, N. Y., assignor to United States Hoffman Machinery Corp ration,

1 Claim.

This invention relates to washing machines, and more particularly to machines wherein clothes may be washed thoroughly and then be quickly and economically rinsed without removing them from the washer or disturbing the operation of the machine.

In its present embodiment the invention is shown as comprising a single cylindrical container of the tubless or shell-less type into which washing fluids may be admitted through a supporting trunnion disposed at one end of the cylinder and clothes to be washed be admitted to the cylinder through a charging door arranged substantially in coaxial alignment with the cylinder and its trunnion.

One object of the invention is to provide improved means for efiecting continuous rinsing of the clothes at the end of a processing operation,

' not only by the usual process of dilution of the washing solutions contained therein by the addition of rinse water, but by actually forcing the discharge of such solutions from the cylinder at the end thereof opposite the points of admission of rinse water. 1

Another object of the invention is to provid conduits arranged peripherally within the wash I pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangements of parts as will be exemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the followingclaim.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is chamber and valve taken along the line ll of Fig. and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section taken along the line 5-5 of Figs. 2 and 4.-

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the various views of the drawshown one of the various possible embodiments of the mechanical features of this invention;

Fig. 1 is a front elevation; I

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 showing parts in elevation;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken along the line 3-3 ofFlg.2; V

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section through the dump ings.

Referring to the drawings, awasher embodying certain features of my invention will be seen to consist of a rotatable imperforate cylindrical shell or drum l0 having at its front end a flanged annular disc or head [2 and at its rear end two spaced heads [4 and It. The space between the heads l2 and H constitutes a processing chamber ll while the narrower space, between the heads i4 and I6, provides a mixing chamber [5 to initially receive water, steam and laundry supplies and, after mixing, to deliver the same to and through the tumbling ribs l8 to the processing chamber l l of the cylinder. The tumbling ribs I8serve not only as induction conduits but also for the p se of educting or draining washing fluids from the washer in a particular manner, as will appear hereinafter.

The head It of the cylinder is secured by means of flanges I! to a. rugged gear frame 20 provided with gear teeth 2 I which mesh with the similar teeth of a drive pinion 22. This pinion is rigidly mounted upon a shaft 23 carrying rigidly a sprocket 24 rotatably connected by means of a driving chain 25 with a sprocket 26 mounted upon the shaft of a reversible driving motor 21.

The circular gear frame 20 is rigidly mounted upon a trunnion member28 which extends into and is supported by adequately spaced bearings (not shown) supported within a housing member 30, itself fastened to a frame pedestal member 32. Any suitable bearing structure adequate to support the weight of the washer cylinder solely at one end in cantilever fashion and to permit rotation of said cylinder, may be employed.

An inlet pipe 33 extends through the trunnion member 28 ccaxlally with respect to the cylinder and trunnion and opens into the mixing chamber l5. At its outer end this inlet pipe connects these various pipe lines to control the function of each.

The bearing assembly, the motor and drive conare directed to the inlet space 4| of each rib.

This space is formed by the apex and side walls of the rib and a plate 42 hermetically sealed within the rib; and from this space 4| materials are inducted into the processing chamber through perforations or holes lengthwise the rib and the flow area of which lengthwise the rib, will be described later.

Water and supplies escape from the washer or processing chamber solely by means of holes 44 located in the lower sections 45 of the ribs I8 below the plates 42, the arrangement of which holes will be more fully described hereinafter. Discharge fluids then move forwardly within said ribs toward the front end of the washer and through suitable openings 46 provided in the head sheet l2 in alignment with the sections 45 of the ribs. Plates 41 joined in T formation with the plates 42 and secured to the cylinder shell prevent processing solutions from flowing directly through the rib during cylinder rotation.

A sheet metal housing 48 supported by the bedplate surrounds the cylinder above and on all four sides. A narrow space 50 is provided between the front cylinder head I2 and the front sheet 49 of the housing. This-sheet is generally rectangular in shape and extends from the base plate upward to the top of the structure. The space receives the discharge liquid from the discharge portions of the ribs and is connected by means of an opening 5| in the and sheet 49 43,.the spacing of which.

.vcordingly an important feature of the present with the interior of a casting 52 bolted to the front sheet, whence the solutions are conducted to a dump valve, generally indicated b the number 53, by means of a connecting conduit 54. The dump valve inlet space 55 is preferably connected with the Venturi fitting 34 by means of .the pipe 31 whereby the processing liquids may be recirculated through the washer during cylinder operation. Thus during this recirculation the processing liquids may be made, by admitting steam to the fitting 34, to flow from within the I wash cylinder to the space 50, then through the dump valve body and connecting piping back through pipe 33, mixing chamber I5 and back into the cylinder by means of the induction sections of the tumbling ribs I8. v

To avoid escapeof liquids from the washer and the space 50; a circular seal 56 is provided. This seal extends completelyaround the outer flange inside with the center line of the cylinder. The door frame SI is rigidly fastened to the front sheet 49 of the washer housing and the door rim BI is supported by hinged lugs 62 and 83 integral j respectivel with the frame and rim. The door .comprises a: heavy glass 64 which is sealed tightly to the door rim SI by means of a rubber lute 66. The door is normally held tightly closed by means ofasuitablelatchil.

Referring to Fig. 2 of the drawings, it will be e of the head sheet I2 and is'held fast b means understood that the disclosed arrangement of perforations 43 in the upper portions of the ribs I8 is intended to indicate, either in respect to their specific location or to their flow areas, that induction occurs predominantly near the inlet end of the washer cylinder; and that the arrangement of the eduction holes 44 in the Iowa;- portions of the ribs is intended to indicate, either in respect to their specific location or flow areas, that eduction occurs predominantly near the discharge end of the cylinder; It has been found mined rate. With-the present arrangement the rinse water coming into the processing chamber predominantly near one end of the cylinder will caus the wash solution to be discharged near the other end, thus resulting in a process of displacement as well as dilution. This combined action, as shown by test, is much faster than simple dilution and requires much less rinse water to attain similar rinsing results.

It will be understood that during a rinsing operation or at the end of a complete washing cycle it is necessary rapidly to carry the liquid away from the wash cylinder and discharge it to a suitable drain. Tothis end a dump valve is used which may be manually opened at any desired moment du ng cylinder operation or, in fact, when the cylinder has been brought to rest. Ac-

construction is a dump valve particularly well adapted for rapid manual operation, of simple construction, and having the valuable characteristic that it may be quickly opened to an desired extent and automatically held at the degree of opening selected. Thus during rinsing it may be desirable to give slight opening to the discharge, while at the end of the washing operation a full opening would be wanted.

Referring to Figs. 2, 4 and 5, the present dump valve will be seen to comprise a main body 53.

a downwardly dropped flange I3 which fits closely within the receiving space 55 of the body. Below the lower end of this flange the walls of the body are internally flanged to provide a valve seat I4 surrounding a circular valve opening 15. Loosely mounted on this seat is an annular gasket I6, which may be installed or renewed through the upper open end of the valve body when the head I! is removed. when the head I2 has been fastened down, in any suitable manner, the lower erliadc of'the flange It holds the gasket firmly in p e.

The valve proper comprises a disc 11 adapted ,to bear upon the gasket I8 adjacent the opening tally through a bearing 8| formed in the valvebody and another bearing 82 formed on the casting 52. At its outer end the rod is fitted with practically proportioned to the rate of discharge I a suitable operating handle 83 which may serve as an indicator in relation to a scale 86 calibrated to show various degrees of valve. opening. By means of this circular cam the valve may readily be thrown from fully closed to full open position or to any point therebetween, and because the cam itself serves as a position look no other means is needed to hold the valve in its desired open position. As indicated at 84 and 85, the flange I3 of the valve'body head is provided-with suitable openings in registry with conduits Hand 54. The lower end of the valve body is open to permit discharge of liquids through an opening in the base plate I to any suitable sewer or drain. 4

It will therefore be seen that the present invention is one well adapted to attain the objects hereinbefore set forth, and that it provides special features resulting in many other advantages in respect both to manufacture and operating,

emciency.

As many possible embodiments may be made 01' the above invention without departing from. the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accom- 6 rotatable wash cylinder, in combination, means for admitting liquid to the interior or said cylinder comprising a plurality of inlet conduits extending lengthwise within said cylinder each adapted to receive liquid through an inlet opening connecting with a liquid receiving space at one end of the cylinder and having means communicating with the interior of the cylinder comprising a plurality of perforations distributed lengthwise the conduit the aggregate flow area of which is greatest adjacent the inlet end of the conduit and progressively less per unit of conduit length away from said inlet end, means for dis-' charging liquids from said cylinder comprising a plurality of discharge conduits extending length-' wise within said cylinder each adapted to discharge liquid through an outlet opening connecting with a liquid discharge space at the other end of the cylinder and having means communicating with the interior of. the cylinder comprising a, plurality of perforations distributed lengthwise the conduit the aggregate flow area of which is greatest adjacent the discharge end of'said conduit and progressively less per unit of conduit length away from said discharge end, and controllable means for supplying rinse liquid to said receiving space and controllable means A for discharging liquids from said discharge space.

, HENRY C. A. MEYER. 

